This invention relates to tape drive devices for telephone answering devices such as so-called "automatic telephone answering devices.
A two-motor type tape drive device for a telephone answering device is well known in that art, in which one motor is provided for driving an answering magnetic tape only and another motor is provided for driving a message recording magnetic tape only. The tape drive device is disadvantageous in that the number of motors and relevant components thereof is relatively large and accordingly the device is bulky and high in manufacturing cost.
A one-motor type tape drive device is also known in the art. The tape drive device needs means for switching a power transmitting mechanism adapted to transmit the rotation of the motor to a capstan flywheel for the answering magnetic tape and to a capstan flywheel for the message recording magnetic tape. For this purpose, the device has switching means such as plungers. Thus, the device is still disadvantageous in that it is intricate in arrangement and is liable to become bulky.